A Phantom in the Ouran High School Host Club
by Burke23
Summary: A new kid with a mysterious past is enrolled in Ouran Academy, but what happens when he falls for one of the members of the Host Club? Please review my story and support my co-writers LightningFlare1 and CharlieBoneFan.
1. The Phantom's First Day

**The Phantom's First Day**

Ouran Academy, a prestigious private school located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan, was my new school. My parents, even though they kept me a secret from the public, wanted me to have a great education. My disguise was less than perfect, but it somehow worked. My black trench coat fluttered in the breeze as a spring wind rushed through my long brown hair; however, my black rim hat remained in place. I was covered from head to toe in black, except for my face. On the right side of my face I wore a white mask that was perfectly sculpted to fit my face without strings. The mask covered my… imperfections, and it also concealed my true identity. I walked onto the grounds with my acoustic guitar case in one hand and my book bag in the other, when an orange haired man stepped in front of me.

"You're in my way;" I said "could you please move?"

"You're new here, I can tell," the man said.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am Kaoru Hitachiin," he answered.

"KAORU," a voice yelled in the distance "WHERE ARE YOU?" Suddenly, another man with orange hair ran towards Kaoru.

"Hikaru," Kaoru whispered loudly.

The man that I assumed was Hikaru wrapped both of his arms around Kaoru's waist and touched his forehead to Kaoru's. "You shouldn't run off like that brother," he whispered seductively "I was worried sick about you."

"Oh Hikaru," Kaoru whispered back "it means so much to me that you cared." At this point I honestly felt sick to my stomach.

"Well," both of them spoke in unison "what do you think about the school so far?"

I spoke with honesty, "There is nothing about this whole scenario that doesn't make me so disgusted I want to violently vomit out my own internal organs. I despise you both so intensely that I can't tell if my vision is blurry from my recent near-death experience, or from my unforgiving rage. If allowed, I will gut you with an honest-to-god smile on my face...and then proceed to paint my home with your very blood."

I saw sweat drop from both of the brothers' faces. "Now will you please get out of my way?" Before I even finished me sentence, they ran off leaving clouds of dust behind them.

I smiled, "I think that I'm going to like this place."

I explored the halls until I found a room that said: 'Music Room #3'

"I could put my guitar in here," I said "I bet they won't mind having a guitar in a music room."

When I opened the door, I came face to face with a group of young men about my age in their blue school uniforms.

I paused for a moment and said, "… This is a music room, right?"

"This is the meeting place of the Ouran High School Host Club," the tall blond one said "I am Tamaki Suoh, the club president."

"Does it really look like I care who you are?" I asked removing my hat.

"Excuse me," I turned to my left and saw a man with brown hair and brown eyes with a saucer and a cup of tea "would you like some tea?"

I smiled, "Not right now, maybe later."

"Okay," he backed up and joined the rest of the group in front of me.

"Look," I said "can I leave my guitar here while I have class?"

"No you can't," two familiar voices spoke in unison.

"Sempai's," the brown haired one with the tea spoke up "why can't he leave it here, it won't get hurt or anything, what's the problem?"

"He scared us, Haruhi" they both said.

"If it's because of the clothing I'm sorry, but I can't change them because of my parents' orders," I said.

"You threatened us!" They both yelled.

"Oh right," I rubbed the back of my neck "that happened."

"Look here," Tamaki approached me and met me face to face "first off: you shouldn't threaten people, especially members of the club. Second: you have to wear the school uniform or else you'll be expelled.

"Please don't get on my bad side," I said.

"What could you possibly do to me?" He asked.

I turned us so that the left side of my face was facing the group, and then I took off my mask. He screamed like a girl and ran to the furthest corner of the room yelling "COVER IT, IT'S HIDEOUS!"

I put on my mask and said, "On that note, I'm off." I put on my hat "I might see you people at lunch."

Later at lunch, I sat at a table by myself, and they didn't come to eat with me. Instead, a pretty blond woman sat across from me.

"Hello," she said nervously "m-my name is Aimi Isobe. T-the other girls were wondering: what is your name?"

I glanced at her and saw the nervousness in her eyes. Either she was utterly terrified because of my appearance, or she was 'in love' with me. "I have no name, but people call me 'Phantom'."

"Oh okay," she brushed her hair behind her ears.

"Excuse me," I looked to my left and saw Haruhi "can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," I answered, but remained seated.

"In private?" he crossed his arms and scowled at me.

"Oh," I said "right. Aimi, I have to talk to Haruhi, but I'd love to talk to you some other time."

She blushed and curled her hair around her index finger, "Alright." In less than five seconds after I left my table, the table swarmed with other women in yellow dresses asking Aimi about me.

"This place is mildly insane," I said.

"Tell me about it," Haruhi said.

The ground began to shake as a platform in the middle of the room rose with a woman standing in the center.

"I take that back," I said "this place IS insane."

"You there in the black coat," the woman had a microphone in her hand and was speaking into it "you have gained notoriety as an attractive man with a mysterious past, and you've only been here for a few hours. You would be a great addition to the Host Club if you would care to join."

"Um… I'll think about it," I said shrugging my shoulders.

"Great," she began to descend, "I'll be watching you."

A few moments after she disappeared, I asked, "Does this happen regularly?"

"You have no idea," Haruhi answered.

"So you're a part of the host club?" I asked him.

"Sadly yes," Haruhi said.

"And that president?" I asked.

"He's… beyond weird" Haruhi said with a grin on his face.

I rubbed the back of my neck once more, I kind felt a bit guilty for what I did to him… kind of. "Hey… sorry about before… you know…" I paused not too sure what to say.

"Don't worry about it," he said with a kind tone, and a simple smile. I smile at him and notice he didn't have a lunch, I didn't see any in his hands or at the table he sat before he came towards me.

"Don't you have a lunch?" I asked. Haruhi chucked slightly.

"I over slept and didn't get the chance to make one...I would have taken leftovers but I had a crazy night" he said.

"Oh...how about I threat you to lunch?" I said.

"No, no! It's alright," Haruhi insisted.

"Look," I said "there's nothing wrong with a couple of friends eating lunch together, is there?"

"Hmm…" he pondered my question for a few seconds "I guess not."

After a few minutes of talking and eating lunch, I noticed that people were staring at us… and there was a bush next to one of the pillars in the room.

"Why is everyone staring at us?" I asked.

"Well," he said setting his tea on a saucer "given that you're sitting with a member of the host club, everyone might think that you… swing that way. And as for the bush, it's probably the twins and Tamaki spying on us to see if you make a move on me."

"Do they have ANYTHING better to do?" I asked.

"I don't think so," she answered.

"You know," I said "you look like her."

"Who?" He asked

"My previous girlfriend," I answered.

"'Previous,' what happened to her?" He asked.

"She's…" my body began to tremble with sadness, which would not have been that bad if my hands were empty, but I was holding a cup of tea, "gone."

"Oh," he said "I'm sorry." He lightly brushed my arm; I flinched and spilled my tea onto his shirt.

"Oh Lord, I didn't mean to," I said.

"Its fine," he said "I'll just change in the music room." And then he left.

"Well I just screwed up my chance at friendship," I said to myself "I should go and apologize, But first I should probably clean up this mess."

When I walked out of the room, the twins and Tamaki emerged from the bush.

"My poor Haruhi… being forced on a date," Tamaki said in a whisperer. The twins gave an evil glare to each other as an idea came to mind.

"Maybe Haruhi should date him" Kakoru said.

"Totally! He's way better then Tamaki" Hikaru said.

"What?!" Shouted Tamaki.

The trio yelled and argued at each other for several minutes, until a man with glasses walked up to them.

"You do realize that Phantom is going to see Haruhi changing, right?" He asked.

They all paused and stared at each other in disbelief. "Don't you worry Haruhi, daddy's coming!" Tamaki yelled running out the door.

Meanwhile, I was outside of Music Room #3 and mentally prepared myself, and then I knocked on the door.

"I'm changing," Haruhi said "don't come in."

"Haruhi," I said "it's Phantom. I just wanted to apologize for spilling my tea on your shirt… it's just that…"

"No," Haruhi interrupted "I'm sorry. I touched you when you were clearly emotional."

I paused for a moment, "Will this affect our friendship?"

I heard him chuckle, "No, but you still owe me lunch."

"That sounds reasonable," I said.

"THERE HE IS!" Tamaki yelled as he charged me. "YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN SNEAK A PEAK AT MY HARUHI WHILE HE CHANGES?!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

He lunged at me and wrapped his arms around my waist. We both slammed into the doors and they flew open. I ended up on my back, and when my vision cleared, I saw Haruhi holding his shirt in his hands. However, I noticed that he was wearing a bra and that he had natural… assets… to fill them.

I yelled out loud, "Wait, WHAT?!"

 **Please review and support my support, LightnigFlare1 and CharlieBoneFan. On a side note, it's my birthday today (11/28/15), I am 19.**


	2. Dinner with the Phantom

**Dinner with the Phantom**

One minute I was apologizing to Haruhi through a door, the next I found out that Haruhi was a woman and the Host Club was considering erasing my memory via baseball bat. The Host Club was contemplating what they should do with me, and then I spoke up.

"What the heck is going on?" I asked. Kaoru was holding a baseball bat and was prepared to attack, when Haruhi stepped out of the music room wearing her men's uniform.

"Look," she said "I don't really care if you know that I'm a girl."

"WE DO!" The twins and Tamaki yelled at the same time.

"I'm good at keeping a secret," I said tapping my mask.

Haruhi chuckled, "I guess there's that."

"You know," I said "I still owe you lunch, would you argue if I upgrade your ticket to a moonlit dinner?"

Tamaki tried to charge at me while the twins held him back, "Who do you think you are trying to take my Haruhi away from me?!"

"That depends," she said "what kind of food will be there?"

"Grilled tuna," I answered.

"Is it fancy tuna?" She asked.

"Um…" I rubbed the back of my neck "I guess."

"IT'S A TRAP!" Tamaki yelled.

"It sounds great," she smiled with an all too familiar smile.

Both of the twins and Tamaki turned white and fainted.

"Poor Tama-chan," the shortest one said. He had blond hair and a stuffed bunny under his arm.

"You had this coming Tamaki," a man with glasses said writing notes in his clipboard "it was her choice to make, not yours. The sooner you learn that she can make her own decisions the better." Meanwhile Tamaki was still passed out on the floor.

"So," Kaoru said "where'd they go?"

Hikaru stood up, "I think they left as soon as she said 'it sounds great'."

When the school day ended, I waited outside of Haruhi's class to pick her up. We walked together to my car and we drove off to my apartment.

"You are going to love my father's grilled tuna, it tastes heavenly," I said. I looked over and saw that her mouth was watering.

"Look," I said "this isn't going to be awkward is it, you being at my place?"

"No," she said "it's alright."

"It's a small apartment that my parents own," I said "I happen to live in the penthouse suite on the top floor."

When we rounded the bend, we came into view of the East Bunkyō Apartment Complex. It was a two story tall white building with an overhang supported by sixteen concrete columns. On the roof was a large fifteen meter by thirty meter by ten meter structure that was my penthouse suite. About thirty five meters from the front doors was a marble fountain surrounded by blossoming cherry bushes. A tile walkway led from the front door to the front gate. On either side of the stainless steel gate was a tulip poplar in full bloom and already dropping pink petals that danced in the breeze.

"It's beautiful," Haruhi was awestruck at the sight of my home.

"Once we get inside, mother will show you to the nearest phone so you can call your parents to let them know where you are."

"Um…" she paused "my dad usually overreacts when I am at another person's house."

"Even so," I said "he should know."

"Okay," she said.

After I parked my car and led Haruhi inside, she called her father. Meanwhile at the Host Club, they were deciding the theme for the next day.

"Greek gods of Olympus," the man with the glasses suggested.

"That sounds like a great idea, Kyoya. What do you think Tama-chan?" The shortest one asked.

Tamaki was sulking in the corner, "She's with him, what'll he do to her?"

*TAMAKI'S DELUSION*

A small gondola led Haruhi dressed in white to a large cavern illuminates with hundreds of candles. In the background, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor was being played by Phantom.

The music stopped and the phantom turned around. "Good evening mistress," he spoke.

"You are so mysterious and attractive," she said "I need you right now!"

"There's a bed over there," he said "make yourself comfortable while I prepare to cuddle you throughout the night."

*IN REALITY*

"How long has Tama-chan been sitting there, Kyoya?" The short one asked.

"Ever since Haruhi left with Phantom, Honey," Kyoya asked.

"Oh," Honey said "what about a Candy-land theme?"

"NO!" Tamaki yelled.

Honey hid behind the quiet one, "Mori sempai hide me."

"I will NOT let Haruhi cuddle Phantom, I am her cuddle buddy!" He stated.

"I couldn't agree with you more," Haruhi's father, Ryoji "Ranka" Fujioka, walked in wearing a blue dress and heels.

"Mister Fujioka," Kyoya adjusted his glasses "what brings you here?"

"My precious Haruhi is spending the night at someone named Phantom's apartment, and YOU'RE going to spy on him with me," he said.

"I've got an idea," Tamaki said "we dress up as maids and infiltrate the apartment from the inside."

Ryoji then proceeded to kick Tamaki to the ground and step on his head, "I thought I told you not to insult us professionals, Suoh. You better watch it." There were faint cracking noises coming from Tamaki's head.

"I have an idea if anyone cares to hear it," Kyoya said writing in his clipboard.

"What's your plan?" Ryoji asked.

Kyoya pushed his glasses into place, "You, dressed as Ranka, will accompany me to the apartment… assuming that you have the address."

"I don't have the address," Ryoji took out a piece of paper "but I have a name: 'The East Bunkyō Apartment Complex'."

Kyoya smirked, "You and I will go as 'a couple' and rent an apartment for the night, and then we can watch over Haruhi."

Ryoji was silent for a few seconds, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but that's not a bad idea."

"She won't even know that we were there," Kyoya said writing something down in his clipboard.

Several hours later at the apartment, Haruhi was talking to my mother in the main hall.

"So," she said "is this going to be fancy tuna?"

"It should be," she said "it was flown in from the Arctic Circle."

Haruhi's mouth began to water, "Sounds good."

"It should be," I said walking down the stairs "if it was that expensive to get here."

"Trust me son," she looked at me "it'll be worth the eighty thousand yen."

"Haruhi," I said "I set up a table on the roof so we can eat in the moonlight. Also, the tuna will taste better outside."

"Thank you Phantom," we passed each other on the stairs and I met up with mother.

"She's really nice," she said "she reminds me of… her."

"I know," I said. "Wait, how'd you know that she was a girl?"

"A mother knows," she said.

"Right," I said "I think I can trust her with the secret."

"Son," she grabbed my shoulders "just because you find a pretty girl that looks like your previous girlfriend doesn't mean that she can be trusted."

"She's a woman who is in a club for men, I think that she can keep a secret," I said.

She let go of my shoulders, "You can tell her if you want to, but make sure that she sees the video."

"Thank you mother," I said.

I stood on the roof looking at the table setting in front of me. It was a small round table with a cotton tablecloth covering it. There was a candelabrum in the center of the table that held three small candles that I had already lit. The plates and silverware were arranged like an American restaurant, with the fork, knife, and spoon wrapped in a napkin. The chopsticks were set beside the silverware which was on the right side of the plate. On the left side of the plate was a tall empty glass. There was a bottle of orange juice and a bottle of grape juice on the table.

"Since we're both underage," I said "So I went to the cellar and got our finest bottles of… fruit juice."

"So when will the tuna get here?" She asked impatiently.

"Soon enough," a male voice came from the door. He was holding a platter of grilled tuna and wearing a 'kiss the cook' apron. He set it in front of us and said "Careful you two, it's hot."

"Thank you father," I said giving a respectful bow.

"You're welcome," he said bowing back.

The tuna DID taste heavenly. It almost melted in my mouth; I barely needed to chew it. Father added lemon flavoring to the tuna, perfectly contradicting the sweetness of the tuna with the sourness of the lemon. I had tasted it before and it tasted divine, Haruhi tasted it for the first time, and she was on Cloud Nine.

"This is ambrosia," she said with her mouth semi-full "nectar of the gods."

"Something tells me that you like the tuna," I said.

"I do," she said "I really, really do."

"So," I said "what's a woman like you doing in a club for men?"

She swallowed the tuna that was in her mouth, "I had o pay off a debt. I broke and eight-hundred million yen vase and I have to be in the club until I graduate."

"For eight-hundred million yen that vase better do my laundry and take care of the grounds," I laughed.

"Why do you hide behind a mask?" She asked.

I paused, and then I spoke up, "Two reasons: to hide who I really am, and to cover up my… impurities."

"Impurities?" She asked.

"Another time," I said. "What do your parents do?"

"My dad is a professional transvestite and my mother was a lawyer," she said plainly.

"'Was'?" I asked.

"She died from an illness," she said.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"It's okay, it's been ten years and I'm over it now," she said. "What's with the dark clothes?"

"They're a part of my disguise," I said "and I think it looks good."

"It does," she stated "but if you keep wearing only the dark clothes, you'll be expelled for not wearing the school uniform."

"So that wasn't Tamaki being crazy?" I asked.

"No, he was serious," she said.

"Hmm…" I thought for a moment "is it possible to wear my trench coat and hat with my uniform underneath?"

"I guess," she shrugged "I mean Nekozawa does it."

"Who?" I asked.

"Long story," she said.

"I'll buy a uniform in the morning," I said. "Why is your hair short?"

"Some kid stuck gum in my hair before my first day at Ouran," she said "I kept it like this to keep my secret."

"Hmm… interesting," I said.

"Can you play the guitar for me?" She asked.

"No," I said sarcastically "I carry that guitar with me wherever I go for aesthetic purposes." She crossed her arms. "It's in my room," I said "I'll go and get it." I grabbed it, tuned it up and sang **_Bless The Broken Road_**. When I finished, Haruhi stared at me with a look of amazement.

"You play very well," she said.

"That's not all that I can play well," I said "would you like me to play the pipe organ?"

"Yes I would," she said standing up.

"You should probably change clothes," I suggested.

"What's wrong with my school uniform?" She asked.

"How long have you worn that outfit today?" I asked.

She paused. "I see your point."

"I'll lead you to the changing room where there are closets of clothes to choose from. Pick out something you like and then we'll go traveling," I said.

She paused, "Um…"

"The dressing rooms are for the guests," I said.

"Okay," she smiled "I'm going to change and then I'll be right out." And then she left the room.

"I can defiantly trust her," I said to myself.


	3. Secrets Revealed

**Secrets Revealed**

"I wonder what he's planning to do with Haruhi," Kyoya said to himself as Ranka snored in his bed.

"They're going to be moving soon," Kyoya said "I leave you here to rest while I pursue them."

Meanwhile I was lying in my bed while Haruhi changed; I kept thinking about my past, I kept thinking about her.

"I'm coming out," Haruhi said through the door.

"What'd you pick out?" I asked.

"Something pink," she said. She walked out of the dressing room wearing a light pink dress with a small V neck with some lace around the edges. As for her footwear, she was wearing pink flats.

"I'm not wearing heels," she said.

"I don't blame you," I said "we're going to the chapel."

"Why are we going to a chapel?" She asked.

"I'm going to play the large pipe organ," I answered.

"When did you learn to play the organ?" She asked.

"It came with the half mask," I answered jokingly. She remained quiet and crossed her arms. "I learned to play right after... this," I said gesturing to my mask.

"Do you have a real name?" She asked.

"Yes," I said "and I intend to tell you when we're at the chapel."

We left the apartment as quiet as mice and we snuck into my car. On the way to the chapel, I decided to start a conversation.

"So, have you always dressed like a guy?" I asked.

"Nope," she said "I just wear the men's uniform to stay in the club to pay off the debt I owe."

We talked for several minutes before we arrived at the chapel. The building was about twenty meters tall and was built like a gothic cathedral.

"This looks creepy," Haruhi said stepping out of the car.

"You're with a guy who calls himself 'Phantom,'" I said "and _now_ you're creeped out?"

"Good point," she said.

When we entered the chapel, she was impressed with the interior design. It was beautiful; stained glass windows, beautiful murals, and many lit candles.

"Wow," she said.

"I know," I said "it just goes to show you that you can't judge something solely on appearance."

"Tell that to the Host Club," Haruhi said "where's the organ."

"Upstairs," I said "the spiral staircase is over here." I led her to the staircase as we walked up.

The organ itself was over one hundred years old, but it was well taken care of over the years and played like a dream.

"I have to be in the right mood to play this song," I said reaching into the pockets of my trench coat "if you will indulge me."

I pulled out a folded picture from my past. On the far left was a woman flashing a peace sign, she looked like Haruhi with long hair. On her right, there was an arm wrapped around her shoulders, but that side was folded over so the owner of the arm could not be seen. In the middle was a man with short brown hair in a headlock performed by a man with long black hair, and both of them were giving a thumbs-up sign. I reached into another pocket and pulled out some cherry scented incense. I lit the end with a lighter and placed the incense on a stand.

I sat myself down on the bench saying, "I will be playing Davy Jones' theme song."

As I began to play, the room began to shake with the deep base of the organ. The song was both sad and upbeat, I found myself lost in the music and began to sway and cry as the music filled the chapel. When the song was over, I stood up and faced Haruhi, and there was a tear trickling from her left eye.

"Do you want to know who I am?" I asked.

"Yes," she said wiping the tears from her face.

I unfolded the picture to reveal the fourth man, me. My hair was long, barely reaching my shoulders. And on the far left of the picture was the word 'Songbirds.'

"This is you?" Haruhi asked.

"It was," I said.

Haruhi walked close to me and felt the smoothness of my half mask. I grabbed her hand softly and pulled it away from my face. I then grabbed my mask and took it off.

Haruhi sighed, "Gotta tell you I'm kind of relieved."

There were several scars on the right side of my face, two that crossed my eye, and three on my cheek. "I'm imperfect."

She touched the right side of my face, "They're just a few scars."

"According to my parents they're imperfections," I said. "I was literally the face of the family name, and then this happened (gestures to face) and my parents hid me away like their little secret."

"To change the subject:" she said "What's your real name?"

"Eric," I said "Eric Kazuki."

"Kazuki," she put her hand on her chin "where have I heard that name before?"

"My family used to sell musical instruments, CD's, and whatnot, Kazuki Music Incorporated," I answered.

"Who are these people?" she asked pointing to the picture still in my hand.

"From left to right:" I said "Me, Aika Miyamoto, Shin Kimura, and Yoshio Suzuki. We were in a band together, the Songbirds."

"What happened?" She asked.

"They all died in a car accident," I said "we were driving from our last concert to my apartment, and then a semi truck hit us from the side. The three died instantly, but I survived. But since I was scared on the right side of my face, my parents, not wanting to tarnish our family image, said that I died in the car with my friends. They made me a new persona so I could be seen in public. As far as they're concerned, Eric Kazuki died in that accident, and Phantom was born."

"So," she said "um…"

"Look," I said "if you want to know my full story, you'll need this." I reached into my trench coat and pulled out a blank DVD. "This disc contains how I met the three, how we lived, and how we died. There is a DVD player in your room so you can watch the video there."

She cautiously took the DVD and said, "Thanks."

"Come on," I said putting out the incense "we should get back to the apartment before midnight. Remember, we have school tomorrow."

"Alright," she said. She was entrusted with my secret; I just hoped that she could keep it a secret. I had no idea that someone was watching us the whole time.

 **I'd like to thank my co-authors for their support, without them this story would be a… blank screen. Review please.**


	4. The Songbirds

**The Songbirds**

 **I'm sorry this took so long.**

++HARUHI'S POV++

I had never felt such a wide spectrum of emotions than when I was with Eric that night. On the way back to the apartment complex, all I could think about was how perfect tonight was. A clear night sky with a full moon, fancy tuna, music… it almost seemed like a date… but it was just dinner with two friends. I wished that the day would never end, it was the best time of my life.

I went back to my room and closed the door. And when I turned around I was face to face with Kyoya.

"What the heck are you doing in my bedroom?" I asked.

He pushed up his glasses, "I was assigned by your father to watch you, and I'm not pleased with what I saw."

"I should be surprised," I crossed my arms "but I'm not. However, I _did_ expect Tamaki and the twins."

"They're in denial that this dinner date with Eric ever happened," he said.

"You have to keep his real name a secret from everyone else," I said with a concerned voice.

"Don't worry," he smirked "as long as your relationship with that useless man doesn't affect your job as a member of the Host Club."

I suddenly felt angry, "What?"

"Anyone with his talent should make himself known to the world, not hide it under cheap clothes and a dark personality," he said.

"Did you even listen to his story?!" I yelled.

"I didn't need to," he said "I saw his true face and got all of the story that I…"

At this point I slapped him across the face, "You can't judge something solely on appearance."

He adjusted his glasses, "I can see that you're not in the mood to speak to me right now, I'll get your father and head home."

After Kyoya left, I began to play the DVD.

 _++DVD ON THE SCREEN++_

 _The screen was black for a few moments._

 _"You ready yet?" A familiar voice asked._

 _"No," a female voice said "the video isn't coming up."_

 _"Maybe it would help if you took the lens cap off," the familiar voice stated._

I chuckled.

 _The person behind the camera unscrewed the cap and removed it, revealing an unscarred Eric holding a guitar._

"Eric?" I asked aloud.

 _"Alright," he said "hello there, my name is Eric Kazuki, and I am testing the Kazuki acoustic guitar."_

 _He then proceeded to play and sing_ **Fishin' in the Dark** _, and he was good back then too._

 _"I'd say that the guitar works," he said._

 _"Yes," the voice said "but we might need a female perspective."_

 _"She'll need to sing too," Eric said "we need to have her sing for us first before she plays one of our instruments… and she has to know how to play the guitar."_

 _"I know just the person," the voice said "and I think you'll like her."_

 _Scene Transition_

 _A woman who looked a lot like me appeared on the screen._

 _"Please state your name for the record," the voice behind the camera said._

 _"Aika Miyamoto," she said blushing from nervousness._

 _"What song will you be singing?" The voice asked._

 _"_ **I Will Always Love You** , _" she said. She sang with such grace and beauty that made me want to take singing lessons._

 _After she was done singing, someone off-screen gave her an acoustic guitar. "Now what will you play?" The voice asked._

 _"I was planning on singing_ **Landslide** _, but I need two guitars and my brother isn't here," she said._

 _"I could help with that," Eric said off screen. He walked up to her and shook her hand, "Eric Kazuki."_

 _"Um…" she obviously knew who Eric was and was nervous._

 _She eventually gathered her nerves and sang_ **Landslide** _with Eric. They looked like they were made for each other, and then I remembered that she looked like me._

 _After a series of clips showing their growing relationship, the two decided to start a band called_ The Songbirds _. And they made public auditions for band members (which I actually remembered)._

 _Scene Transition_

 _The next few scenes involved the auditions of Shin Kimura and Yoshio Suzuki (who acted like brothers toward each other). It showed how the band became famous, singing songs like:_ **I Wanna Be Free, Amie, She's Always a Woman, Cry for Me, Say You Love Me,** _and_ **Who Loves You** _. Things were going well, until…_

 _Scene Transition_

 _A reporter sat at a desk and read the news: "It is confirmed that the local band known as_ The Songbirds _were in a lethal car accident that killed two of the four band members instantly. Eric Kazuki, the band's founder, survived the initial accident but died this morning in the hospital. It was also confirmed that his girlfriend, Aika Miyamoto, survived the crash but died on the scene."_

 _Scene Transition_

 _Another reporter came on the air saying: "They were going to the after-party of their most recent concert when a drunk driver in a truck veered into oncoming traffic and hit_ The Songbird's _vehicle head on. As the truck continued without stopping,_ The Songbirds' _vehicle slid down a hill and crashed into a tree, filling the car with glass fragments. Shin Kimura and Yoshio Suzuki were killed instantly. It is assumed that Aika Miyamoto died on scene from internal injuries because she was found holding hands with Eric Kazuki before he was taken to the hospital. The power couple of_ The Songbirds _died separately, but they are together now."_

 _Scene Transition_

 _Eric stood in the middle of the frame with the right side of his face covered in bandages. He cried softly, "She's dead, the only woman I loved is dead, and I can't even go to her funeral."_

 _++DVD ENDED++_

My eyes burned with tears as his story came to a close. I felt sorry for him, I really did. For a brief moment I wondered if he would be attracted to me because I looked like his former girlfriend, and he knew my secret. I fell asleep pondering that.

 **I'd like to thank you all for your patience.**


	5. The Phantom is a Host

**The Phantom is a Host**

++PHANTOM'S POV++

I went to check on Haruhi, and she was asleep on the floor. I picked her up bridal style and went to the bed. Before I set her down, I looked in the mirror. We looked cute together. I set her down, covered her up, and then fell asleep in my own room.

I woke up early in the morning and made French toast for the both of us. I found my new school uniform and put my black trench coat over it. At this time, my father was probably checking stock while my mother slept in.

When I went back to Haruhi's room, she was awake.

"Good morning Haruhi," I said "you fell asleep on the floor in your room, so I picked you up and carried you to the bed.

"Did you do... anything else... while I was asleep?" She stuttered.

"Well, I made breakfast," I said.

She stared at the plate that I held in my hand, "French toast?"

"Yeah," I said "I can make something else if you…"

"No," she cut me off "just leave it there while I get dressed."

"Um… okay," I did as she said. The rest of the morning was awkwardly quiet, including the ride back to campus. Things continued to be quiet until we entered the music room. Greek columns and Greek statues were placed throughout the room.

"For the love of God," I said "tell me I'm in the wrong room."

"Unfortunately you're not," Haruhi sighed.

All of the Host Club members were wearing white togas and were posed to look like Greek statues.

"Welcome," they all said at once.

"Is there a place in this school where there aren't crazy people?" I asked.

"If there is," Haruhi shrugged "I haven't been…"

"YOU!" A voice yelled. I was not surprised when I saw Tamaki, his face was red with rage.

"Whoa there Ares," I said "calm down."

He seemed offended "I don't know what's worse, the fact that you took Haruhi's innocence, or the fact that you assumed that I was Ares."

I raised an eyebrow, "Come again."

"Well," he seemed to be less angry "I am Zeus, the god of the sky and king of the gods. Mori is Ares, god of war. The twins are Apollo and Artemis, don't ask why Kaoru wanted to be Artemis, god and goddess of the sun and the moon respectively. Honey is Dionysus, god of wine… in his case Kool Aid. And finally, Kyoya is Poseidon, god of the seas. And sweet Haruhi will be Aphrodite, the goddess of love."

"Um… what?" I asked. "I was referring to the 'took Haruhi's innocence part'."

"He thinks that you slept with her last night," Kyoya stated.

Haruhi and I both blushed. "That's insane," we both said at the same time.

"Tamaki is paranoid," Kyoya said "you have to get used to it."

"Also," I stated "wouldn't it ruin the secret of Haruhi's gender if you make her a goddess?"

Tamaki turned white and Kyoya raised his eyebrow. "I'm listening," he said.

"What about Janus, the god with two faces?" I asked.

Kyoya smiled, "That's actually not a bad idea."

"WHAT?" Tamaki yelled "You agree with th-th-th-th-that…"

"Yes," he said "I agree with that man. On one condition, he has to be Hades."

"No way," I said "I will not join your club."

"If you don't," Kyoya adjusted his glasses "I'll tell them who you really are."

My eyes went wide, "You wouldn't."

"Think of it as an audition," he explained "if our profits go up, you stay. If not, you go. However, you have to actually try."

My face twisted in anger, "You…"

"I guess you have no choice in the matter," he said smiling.

"Even if I wanted to join this club, I'm not good at talking to strange women," I said.

"You talked to me," Haruhi stated.

"Yes," I said "but when I first met you I thought that you were a man, and I know that I shouldn't treat strange women like men."

"Y'know," she said "I can help you talk to women."

"Really?" I asked.

"Sure," she smiled. "I mean, who better to teach you about women than a woman?"

I shrugged, "Makes sense. Let's talk over at that table."

Several minutes had passed, and Haruhi had taught me everything that she could teach me.

"Okay," she said "let's try from the beginning."

"I'm ready," I said. I stood up and got into character, "I am Hades, Lord of the Underworld, please have a seat at my table."

"Will do Mr. Lord of the Underworld," she said. I pulled out a chair and pushed her in when she sat down. I sat myself down after her.

"So," I said "what's your name?"

"My name is Haruhi Fujioka," she said.

"It is a pleasure," I said. I leaned toward her, "You remind me of someone I used to know, someone I used to love."

"What happened to her?" She asked.

I paused for dramatic effect, and then I said, "She's gone, passed from this world."

She simply listened as I described my old love, the woman I loved with all of my heart. I could tell that she felt sorry for me, but I couldn't help but think that she might have thought that I was comparing her to my old love. I could see why; I was saying many of her features were similar to Haruhi's. We were silent for a little while.

"So what kind of movies do you like?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Hades... do you like me for me?" She asked me with a sad gaze.

"Of course I do," I said. "She had her time on this earth, and then she left, and she will never come back. It is true that I find comfort in your similarities to her, but I also love every difference, every quality that is uniquely yours and yours alone is what makes you who you are and not someone else."

Haruhi blushed and became silent.

"What is it?" I asked out of character. "Did I say something wrong."

"N-no," she stammered "you're a natural." Somewhere in the background, Tamaki was being held back by everyone except Hikaru and Kaoru, who were enjoying Tamaki's reaction to my interaction with Haruhi.

"Anything I could work on?" I asked.

"You should only bring up the tragic backstory when the guests bring it up, and if they do you need to not compare them to her, it makes them feel insignificant."

"Alright," I said "you think I'm ready for the real deal?"

"Phantom," Haruhi smiled "I know you are. You are officially a temporary host."

 **Sorry this took so long.**


	6. Hidden Relationship?

**Hidden Relationship?**

++HARUHI'S POV++

I did not know why at the time, but when Phantom complemented me… I felt something. It was some sort of comfort that I had not felt in a long time.

I took a few steps backward, and I bumped into Renge.

"Hello Haruhi," she said.

"Hey Renge," I said, "what's up?"

"Don't think that I haven't noticed the two of you hitting it off," she stated almost teasingly.

I crossed my arms, "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she said knowingly, "I noticed that little spark between you and Phantom."

I blushed, "What spark?"

Renge ignored the question and changed the topic, "Just think; you, me, and him in a triangle of love. It's a love drama that makes me want to eat three bowls of rice."

While Renge was in her fantasy world, I ran into Kyoya. "I've run into a snag," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"Phantom was right about you not being Aphrodite," he explained, "but Janus, the god with two faces, is a Roman god. To keep the theme, we need another Greek god to portray you as."

"Who'd you have in mind?" I asked.

"Asclepius," he said, "god of medicine."

I went wide-eyed, "I don't know anything about medicine. I can't even say that name!"

"Remember," he said, "all you need to know is that you are the god of medicine, the fine details are not important. The women pay good money to spend time with good men, not to receive a history lesson."

I rolled my eyes, "Right."

I was placed right next to Phantom, I had my average three customers, Phantom only had one, it was Aimi Isobe. Almost no one knew her, she was a recluse, a mystery... she and Phantom got along swimmingly.

When the girls left my table after thirty minutes of conversation, I eavesdropped on the Phantom's conversation.

"I can really relate to you," Aimi stated.

"I feel the same way," Phantom said portraying the character Hades rather well, "I am the Lord of the Underworld, segregated from my relatives on Mount Olympus. I've been in the darkness for so long that when I stepped into the light, I was blinded. And when I stepped back into the darkness, all I wanted to do was to go back into the light."

He was paraphrasing the **Allegory of the Cave by Plato** , he was a smart man. The conversation between the two went on for hours, and by that time I was doing my second job as a Host Club member: pouring tea for the others.

After the last of the women had left, I met up with Kyoya and asked him, "How did Phantom do?"

"He had a grand total of two customers and one of them was Renge," he stated.

"Wow," I stated unamused.

"Don't act surprised," he said, "she spent two million yen just to spend ten minutes with him. You know how she is when she's obsessed with someone."

I scoffed, "Do I ever."

Later that day we all had a meeting about money, budget, the usual Host Club junk. However, Kyoya just had to open his mouth about Phantom.

"Well," he said, "now that the usual business is taken care of. I need to address the elephant in the room. Isn't that right Eric?"

Phantom stood up and shouted, "What the hell?!"

Kyoya smirked, "That is your name right? Eric Kazuki? Heir to Kazuki Music Incorporated?"

Tamaki and the twins rambled to themselves, Honey was confused, and Mori was stoic as always. As for me, I was in stunned silence.

"You don't need that outfit anymore," Kyoya said, "you're among people who can keep a secret."

"Even if that's true you should ask permission before revealing someone's secret identity, and I don't fully trust everyone here," he stated looking at the twins and Tamaki.

"You can keep your mask," Kyoya stated, "but It would defiantly be better if they knew your name."

"How?" Phantom asked.

"You can trust us with a secret," Kyoya said dodging the question, "we've kept Haruhi's secret."

"Barely," I whispered to myself rolling my eyes.

"It'd probably be better if you kept the mask on," Hikaru stared.

"Yeah," Kaoru smiled, "Tamaki said that you were deformed."

Phantom stood up and left. While the twins were laughing amongst themselves, I walked up behind them and hit them both on the top of the head, and then I followed Phantom out the door and into the hallway.

"The hell is wrong with those people?!" Phantom almost yelled.

"Besides the obvious," I said, "the twins were just trying to be funny."

"Well they have a bad way of showing it," Phantom stated.

"I know," I said rolling my eyes.

"How do you tolerate them?" He asked.

"It isn't easy," I said, "but I just try to stay to myself and avoid contact with them. Deep down they're all nice, even Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru."

"What about Kyoya?" Phantom asked.

"Even Kyoya," I said, "but he's a tough nut. If you want to make friends, I suggest you start with Honey and Mori."

He was quiet for a little bit, and then he said, "What about you?"

My face was hot, "What _about_ me?"

"Aren't you my friend?" He asked.

"Oh," I rubbed the back of my neck, "I guess we are."

He put a hand on my shoulder, "I have not had a friend in a long time, I'm glad to have met you."

I noticed his smile; I never saw him smile before, or at least I have not noticed it. It was a small smile half obstructed by his mask, it was kind of cute. What was I doing? I described a man I barely knew as cute. I wanted to shrug it off, but when I turned around I ran into Renge. Needless to say I was a little startled.

"Dammit," I stated, "you need a bell."

"Y'know," she smiled, "I'd be happy to set you two up."

"NO!" I exclaimed, "I don't want you messing with either of us."

"Of course," she said sarcastically, "it's not my place to interfere with either of your love lives."

"You better not," I said walking away. I knew she was planning something, she was not exactly subtle. It would be interesting to see what she had planned.


	7. Friendship for the Phantom

**Friendship for the Phantom**

++PHANTOM'S POV++

I had a lot on my mind. I was roped into the Host Club and I figured that I should at least make _some_ friends while I was there. Haruhi suggested that I should try to forge a friendship with Honey and Mori first, and that is what I was going to do. After all, he was probably the easiest to get through too, Mori was a rock, the only way to get through to him was to get through to Honey.

I saw Honey and his bunny. So I went over to him and said, "Do you mind if I had some tea with you?"

"No," he said, "Usa-Chan and I were getting lonely all by ourselves."

I sat down in the tiny chair as he poured me a cup. The chair was uncomfortable, but the tea was exquisite.

"So," I spoke up to break the awkward silence, "do you have any advice for me?"

"There's not much that I can help you with," he said, "being a host should just come naturally."

"I see," I took another sip of tea.

"You are the mysterious type," he said, "it's important to not be scary."

"I'm a nice guy," I argued.

"I know that," he said, "but when you wear all black you look scary. I suggest the same outfit but in a number of different colors, but keep the mask the same."

I was stunned, "You're really smart."

He smiled at the compliment, "Thank you."

"How old are you?" I asked, "If you don't mind."

"I am seventeen years old," he said.

Needless to say, I was a little shocked. "You are seventeen?"

"Last time I checked, yes." He took another sip of his tea.

We talked back and forth for several minutes, but eventually we ran out of tea.

"Haru-chan," he spoke up, "could we have some more tea please?"

"Sure," she said, "but it will take a minute."

"We can wait," he said, "I'm having fun with Mr. Phantom."

I could see her smile, and Honey noticed.

"You like her a lot, don't you?" He asked.

"Um…" I rubbed the back of my neck.

"It's okay," he said, "I can keep a secret. I've kept Haruhi's secret for forever."

"I guess that's true," I said shrugging.

Haruhi arrived with the tea, "Be careful," she said, "it's fresh and very hot."

It was too late, without thinking honey grabbed the hot teapot and burned one of his fingers.

Haruhi and I went wide-eyed as tears began to swell up in Honey's eyes. Parental instincts took over, I stood up and moved next to him in one swift movement, and I kneeled next to him.

"Let me see your finger," I said. He showed me his finger, it was slightly red, but not serious.

"You're in luck," I said smiling, "it just so happens that I went to finger college, okay? Now, in order to treat your finger, I have to know what color the pain is."

Tamaki and the twins were watching from behind Haruhi from a distance.

"What's happening?" Tamaki asked.

"Honey burned himself," Haruhi stated, "let's see where this goes."

"Now," I said, "you have to close your eyes, put your finger on your nose... that way, we can tell what color the pain is,"

Honey looked confused, "Um?"

"Do it," I said with a trustworthy smile, "I'm the finger doctor." At this point I wondered if he would trust the man with half a mask who was standing in front of him. Remarkably, he listened. He closed his eyes and put his finger on his nose.

"Very good," I stated. "Now, what color is the pain?"

"It's kind of green," he said in between sobs.

"It's kind of green," I repeated, "any other colors? How about polka dots?"

"Where's he going with this?" The twins asked simultaneously.

"Shh," Haruhi said, "it just got interesting."

He nodded yes, "Yeah, there's polka dots. Blue ones."

"Blue ones," I repeated. "Any stripes?"

Honey shook his head no, "No stripes."

"Oh, good. That's good because stripes are dangerous," I stated. "All right, this is easy to diagnose. Nine out of ten doctors will agree... that we can solve the pain in your finger by opening your eyes...and taking your finger off your nose."

He did as I asked, and then he smiled, "It's gone. Thanks Phantom." He jumped on me and wrapped his arms around my neck.

I could not help but smile, "All right, no charge. We'll put it on Kyoya's medical insurance."

I stood up, but Honey would not let go. I turned around and saw Mori standing there.

"Um…" I said, "hi."

Mori stepped forward and grabbed Honey off of me. He put a hand on my shoulder and said, "You did well."

He walked away and left the room. "I'm going to regret that, aren't I?"

"It depends," Haruhi stated as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I have to admit," Tamaki mumbled as he slid his fingers through his hair, "you handled the burn well. Women love men with fatherly instincts."

"Agreed," the twins said simultaneously.

I payed close attention to Haruhi's reaction, she was silent, but she nodded in my direction. A few minutes passed and Haruhi and I spoke privately.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

"I'm thinking about what Honey said, about me wearing colors other than black," I stated.

"What about it?" She asked.

"I think he's right," I said, "but I probably will avoid red, otherwise I would look like a male version of Carmen Sandiego."

She raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

"Not really important," I stated. "What I want to know is what's on _your_ mind. You seem distracted lately."

I detected the slight hint of a blush on her cheeks, "Nothing."

"Yeah," I said with sarcasm in my voice, "and I only wear the mask to keep the sun off of my face."

"I honestly don't know," she said, "but when I figure out what I'm going through, you'll be the first to know."

She walked away, I turned around and saw Renge, and I was startled.

"Are you a freaking ninja?" I asked.

"No," she said, "but I want to do something for you and Haruhi. I'm going to set you two up for a date."

"Why am I scared?" I asked.

 **Merry Christmas.**


	8. Forced Date and Then Some

**Forced Date and Then Some**

++HARUHI'S POV+++

Why could I not have one normal day at the school? It started off normally enough: I made breakfast for me and my dad, I went to school, and had the first half of my classes without a hitch. And then I got a note saying that Eric wanted to meet me in the music room. When I got there, Phantom was waiting.

"Why'd you want to meet me?" We asked each other.

We both had similar notes, and I immediately knew who the culprit was. "RENGE!" I said through my teeth.

He sighed, "Might as well play along."

We opened the door to Music Room 3 to find nothing but darkness. Then, a single light fell upon a table with two chairs.

"Well for Renge this is pretty simple," I said. As soon as I said that sparklers and rose petals exploded onto the path in front of us while a live orchestra played _Spring, Allegro_ by Vivaldi.

"Oddly I'm looking forward to seeing what she has planned," Phantom stated.

"I am going to kill her when this is over," I said, "but you have a point."

It was incredibly over the top in terms of… well everything. The only thing that was small about the meal was the meal itself. It tasted extraordinary, but the portions were incredibly small. It was also strange when the violinist showed up. He played well, but his presence made us uncomfortable. And then we were escorted to a place where a gondola awaited.

"Why do I have a feeling that Renge is going to take us to every romantic place on earth?" Phantom stated slightly annoyed.

"Knowing her she'll probably take us to the moon," I stated. We laughed amongst ourselves for a bit and continued to play along with Renge's match making game.

While in the gondola, I couldn't help but feel the pull of the romantic setting, before I knew it I was leaning against Phantom.

Suddenly, the sound of glass shattering startled me out of my trance.

"STOP! STOP! HOLD EVERYTHING!" We heard Renge shout over a megaphone.

Lights cam on and we could see everything behind the scenes, the lighting crew, the staff who catered to us, and all of the "exhibits" were exposed. Apparently one of the lighting crew knocked over a light.

"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!" She yelled into the megaphone.

"I-I'm sorry ma'am," he apologized, "I just…"

"GET OUT!" She interrupted. He literally ran out the door. "Well great," she said, "everything was going so perfectly, THEY WERE LEANING ON EACH OTHER! And some temp with two left feet ruined everything." She was so busy ranting that she didn't notice me and Phantom leaving the music room.

"Well…" Phantom looked at his watch, "that killed about thirty minutes and I'm sure that there are classes that we're both late for."

"Yeah," I stated.

"So…" Phantom rubbed the back of his neck. We stood in awkward silence for a few seconds, and then we walked away from each other. I couldn't help but remember how I felt on that 'date'. Was I feeling something for him, or was it the heat of the moment. I would find out later, when the storm came.

By the end of the school day and when the Host Club finished cleaning up after Renge a massive thunderstorm rolled in.

I was petrified, I could not take a single move as soon as I heard the first boom. I was so scared that I yelped as soon as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and discovered an apologetic Phantom behind me.

"Sorry," he said, "I just saw you shaking and I was wondering if you were okay."

"I-I'm fine," I said.

"Liar," he said, "come on, I'll drive you home."

It took a while to build up my confidence to actually step outside. He gave me his hat and his coat, leaving him in only his Ouran Uniform, he said he had others at his home. He was very comforting, I even ended up falling asleep in his car.

"Hey," he woke me up in a parking lot, "you never told me where you lived."

I blushed from embarrassment, I was too distracted with my own fears to actually tell him where I lived. I gave him directions and we ended up parked outside my dad's apartment.

"You really didn't have to do this," I stated.

"I kind of did," he said, "you needed help, and I care about you."

I breathed hard, "Eric, take off your mask."

"Why" he asked.

"Do it before I change my mind," I demanded.

He hesitated, and then he took off his mask. His lightly scarred face carried a look of shame, he hated his scars. I leaned in close, and I kissed him on the cheek. I got out of his car and retreated into the apartment before he could say anything. As soon as I got in the apartment, I sighed and relaxed on a chair. "Tomorrow's going to be interesting."

 **Here's a late Christmas Present for you people. I'm sorry the chapter quality isn't the best. I'm not going to lie to you, I'm running out of ideas for this story. I have no idea what to do next. I love you all and I love this story, but I have no idea what will happen next. I pictured a masquerade ball for the final chapter, but should it be the next chapter?**


End file.
